Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Will the Taoiseach outline for the House the agenda in respect of the major Bills relating to the fiscal compact or, as we on the left call it, the austerity treaty? It is said that the Government favours the end of May for the referendum on the austerity treaty. Will he confirm this so that we might have a timescale within which to work?

Am I correct in understanding that the Treaty Establishing the European Stability Mechanism Bill and the European Communities Act 1972 (amendment) Bill are fundamental and must be taken before the referendum? Keeping in mind all of this, what is the legislative agenda? This substantial body of legislation is critical to the future of our people and we want enough time to debate it properly in Dáil Éireann.

See this speech in context